Customer Reviews
love it! 
2008-06-29
I got this after reading the amazon reviews and using Skype for over 4 years now to make international calls. I got the 1 yr US long distance calling plan for $36 (i really hope the price won't go up) and cut down on my landline bill. Calls are good quality, no complaints. I warned friends that my number won't show on caller id - other than that i have no complaints, works wonderful. The design is very nice, but some in the family complained about the small keys.
a few little problems after using it for 6 months:
-- i really wish the time would stay set (it changes all the time so i stopped trying to set it again -- although my time zone is set correctly)
-- i really wish the answering machine would work for the landline too - i don't think it does anything right now -- let me know if it does ))
-- "line is busy" signal is not audio, it shows up only on the screen and unless you look you might think your call was dropped
that's it, this thing paid for itself already, not it's just saving me money.
Must-have addition to Skype! 2008-06-28
I am currently living out of the country for medical school, so I use Skype on a daily basis to contact friends and family in the US. For the past year, I've been having attached to my computer anytime I wanted to use the phone, which also meant missing calls if I was in another room or had the computer turned off. However, this phone has made me love Skype again!
Setup:
Could not be easier! Plug in the base station, attach the included ethernet cable to your router, and let the handset charge for a little while. When you turn the handset on, enter your language, area code, skype name, and password. That's it! Within seconds, your voicemails and Skype contacts are downloaded to the phone. If you can figure out a basic cell phone, you can figure out this phone with no problem. There are a few basic options, one of which allows you to set whether it asks, every time you dial a number, if you would like to use SkypeOut or landline, or automatically default to one or the other.
Call Quality:
I have been very impressed with the quality. I'd say it ranges from decent cell phone quality, to slightly better. As I do not have a landline here, I can only judge the quality of SkypeOut calls. My apartment is not very large, but the range easily extends from front to back, with two doors closed in between rooms. The range is better than what I've experienced with other cordless phones in the past, and I haven't noticed any degradation in quality as I move away from the base. I have been told that it sounds much better than when I am speaking through the computer.
Phone:
I find the phone comfortable to hold, although it's too small to rest between your shoulder and ear. It is very attractive and feels durable, if a bit plasticy. The display is bright and easy to read. When idle, it displays your username, status, time/date, and remaining SkypeOut credit. Like I said, the menu system works very similar to a cell phone. The earpiece volume is not particularly loud, but definitely adequate. The speaker volume can be very loud, and remains clear at higher volumes. I haven't really tested the battery, but after having it off the cradle for a while and talking on the phone for about an hour or so, it still shows a full charge.
Problems:
Very few, and not bad enough to affect my rating. It came with a card for 120 SkypeOut minutes, but when I tried to enter the code online, it said that the code had already been used. I'm still waiting for a response from Skype about that. The ring tones leave something to be desired, although they are, fortunately, very loud (if you set them to be). Very rarely, it will drop a call for no apparent reason. However, this could be related to my less than ideal internet connection. Strangely, if I have Skype running on the computer but answer an incoming call on the handset, the computer continues to ring, despite the incoming call pop-up notification disappearing. I have to quit Skype to stop the ringing. I'm still trying to figure out how to remedy that problem.
very good 2008-06-20
Good: No PC needed. Dual phone. Supports multiple Skype features. Color screen. Stylish and efficient. Good call quality. Simple to use
Bad: Fairly expensive.
Bottomline: An attractive phone system that will fit in with your home decor and lets you make Skype and traditional landline calls without a computer.
I RECOMMENDED
95% There 
2008-06-18
This product is just awesome. Two phones in one. Truly wireless Skype! Only two complaints. It seems that the batteries are milked down very fast. We have normal 5.8Ghz phones that will last nearly a week before having to put them on the charger again. We're lucky to get 48hrs on standby with this phone. Maybe 3 days at the most. This is why I also purchased the extra handset. The second complaint is that when you're using the phone normally against your ear, vs. as a speakerphone, there is a good amount of feedback. When it's in speaker phone mode, it's great. But tons of feedback when in normal use. I should clarify what I mean by 'feedback.' You can hear yourself talking in the earpiece. It should not be that way. The sound is nice and clear, but very odd to be hearing yourself speak. Perhaps this is an option I can change in the menu, but I can't think of any reason it would be the way it is on purpose. Design flaw? Bug? Crossed wires?
totally satisfied 2008-06-17
Easy set up, once the battery of the handset was charged I was making my first Skype call the next minute. (I had been using my wireless hi-speed access point already for a few years, with my notebook computer. And I already had been using Skype with my notebook, so skype-wise I was in good shape when the Philips machine arrived.) I don't believe in manuals (actually, I don't remember whether my purchase came with a manual) but the whole set-up and operation goes very intuitively.
By now I've been using the Philips machine for one month. No lock-ups, no re-starts. The only occasional problem is with Skype itself, nothing to do with Philips. (On international calls, Skype doesn't always recognize the offhook event on the other end of a SkypeOut call. With time, the Skype people should be able to fix this kind of teething problem.) Voice quality of the Philips system is excellent - my Skype calls sound better than with my landline, no noise no echo, although I should add that my voice landline is in bad shape, I should call out the phone company. Automatic downloading of contacts goes without a hitch. Altogether I'm pleasantly surprised how well the whole thing works, particularly if you consider the complexity of the arrangement. I had been afraid that my technophobic family would reject the new arrival, but nothing like it!
Best Skype Phone Available 2008-07-15
Excellent call quality, works without a PC and very well made product. I had a Linksys skype phone before this, and the Philips is a far superior product.
Once in a while the base needs to be rebooted - especially after a power outage. Best to keep it connected to a UPS (along with your modem).
Great Skype Phone 2008-07-14
This is a great product, works as advertised, I have found only few glitches in the software, I think the only missing point is the Firmware upgrade to correct bugs, but in general I'm happy with it.
A Very good product 2008-07-11
Before this VOIP phone I was using the DataLink Hub. It has just recently had a new bit of software upgrade placed on their website. But, of course you have to know where to look and when to look so not exactly the easiest upgrade to come across/use. I just happen to feel like it was time for them to update it. Anyways I have both phones setup on the computer/router, now mind you that my computer has many upon many peripherals hanging off of it, not just your normal printer and such but external ATI TV Tuner etc.
The HUB rarely ever stays connected even with the new updated application/driver. But, the Philips VOIP841 is almost always on unless there's been a brown/black out in the system then it happens to lose connection and never gets it back. So you have to go and disconnect the power to the cool looking box that you proudly showcase because its that nice looking, and plug it back in so you have people call you. The calls are clear with some mild echoing at times. The speaker phone is loud and clear with no more echoing than previously mentioned, and not nearly as much as I would expect! The interface is very basic and considering that my cell phone is a PPC(pocket pc) the interface is a bore in comparison, but it wasn't made to run the latest version of WM(Windows Mobile)either. All in all, the best VOIP that SKYPE has at this time. Now I just need the extended remote 2nd phone for the upstairs.
Well worth the money and with the SKYPE price plan you can't lose.
OBTW, SKYPE now has outgoing caller ID a huge improvement!!!!
Not a bad phone but i wouldn't call it good either 
2008-07-11
Been using this phone for 6 months now and i have to say i'm a bit disappointed in its performance. All-in-all the build of the phone was very sturdy, the quality of the calls were decent and setup was a breeze but the signal was just awful for my house. I live in a 2 story brick and mortar house and the signal just wasn't powerful enough when i chose to bring the phone downstairs (the base is located on the 2nd floor). I also have to say that the batteries drained far faster compared to my old wireless phones. It also had an annoying tendency to display "System is starting up" once in a while and this wouldn't go away until you removed the batteries and restarted the unit. Firmware upgrade anyone?
Great Phone, with a few small bugs... 2008-07-02
I've had this phone for about a year, so I feel I'm quite qualified to write a 'qualified' review.
I could not purchase this item directly off amazon, so ended up using the online site www.wantitall.co.za to purchase the product.
What sets this phone apart from the majority of other phones is the ability of the phone to function, without the use of a PC. All you need is a wireless network.
The phone is sleek, and extremely easy to setup. Simply connect the power supply to the base unit as well as the phone, and you are nearly ready to go. Just make sure you have your wireless network password - you will need this to configure the base station.
The responsiveness of the phone is somewhat lacking, however in general the phone performs most functions perfectly. I particularly like the function whereby if you lose the handset, it can be 'called' from the base station.
Only problems I have had, is the phone sometimes not connecting to the base station. This is however quickly resolved by turning the power on and then off.
In general, a great phone, at the right price. Was lucky to find it on online shopping site http://www.wantitall.co.za
